Students bring conservative voices forward

Conservative students have new outlets to share their thoughts and engage in discussions with other students on campus.

Students for Concealed Carry announced their arrival on campus while Turning Point USA and Young Americans for Liberty tabled for student support in the Davis Center Sept. 16.

“Our organization is non- partisan, nonprofit that works to educate students about conservative issues,” Helen Heath, eastern regional director for Turning Point USA, said.

Heath emphasized the importance of having dialogue between students of different opinions.

Young people should be getting together to talk about the future, she said.

Turning Point organizes students into chapters across campuses in America to discuss government issues with other student groups in an open dialogue, Heath said.

“Often times what you’ll find is different leaders are friends on campus,” she said. “It’s encouraging to see student leaders engage in conversation.”

Senior Kate Lipman is the president of Turning Point’s UVM chapter and said the focus is to educate people on economic liberty.

“We’re just starting out right now,” Lipman said. “It’s really to give a place for conservative voices.”

Some topics they focus on are student debt and corruption in government, she said.

“I was expecting it to be difficult and have a lot of push- back,” Lipman said. “People have come from other groups and congratulated us, though they may disagree with us.” Though Turning Point is a separate group from Young Americans for Liberty, the two groups work together occasionally to help open dialogues on campus, she said.

Sophomore Andrew Charlestream, the president of the UVM Chapter for YAL, said the group is trying to open up a dialogue on campus.

“I would encourage anyone in the exchange of free ideas on campus,” Charlestream said. “That’s how things move forward, not by shutting someone up.”

This was YAL’s first tabling event and the group received positive feedback, he said.

“Our goal is to fight and get a hold of what is called the regressive left,” Charlestream said. “Young Americans for Liberty is a little more focused on social issues because Turning Point is focused on economic issues.”

Both groups said they will be holding events to register students to vote this semester.

Students for Concealed Carry is a national group promoting legislation that would allow students to carry firearms on campus.

Students from the organization did not respond to requests for comment.

Firearms are banned on UVM campus, according to UVM’s explosives and weapons policy.

YAL is a non-partisan group that is not affiliated with any political organization, Charlestream said. The organization promotes progressive values.

[Update: This article has been edited from a previous version. This article was updated on Sept. 21 at 1:39 p.m.]